Burglar alarm



Aug. 26, 1924, 1,506,467

' H. E. WATSON BURGLAR ALARM Fil 28. 1,920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Home? EWaismn gwuenko'z Aug. 26 1924. 1,506,467

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H. E. WATSON Filed Dec. 28, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Harmer LWaisnn R/VMOL Patented An 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES HOMER E. WATSON, 0F ARNOLDS PARK, IOWA.

BURGLAR ALARM.

Application filed December 28, 1920.

1 '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Hoarnn E. WATsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Arnolds Park, in the county of Dickinson and State of lowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burglar Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to alarms and the primaryobject of the invention is to provide an improved safety device for banks, commercial houses and the like, for the transmission of alarm signals, so as to prevent the daylight robberies thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for permitting the closing of an electric alarm circuit, by the employees of a bank, commercial house or the like, during :1. hold up by robbers, without attracting the attention of the robbers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of spaced positive and negative conducting wires arranged above the usual cages or stalls of the employees of the bank, leading to a suitable source of electrical energy and to distant alarm signals, which can be located at a police station or other suitable place, and a plurality of bridging wires normally arranged in spaced relation to the positive and negative conducting wires and adapted to be forced into engagement therewith for closing the circuit upon the hold up of the bank or commercial house, it being seen that uponthe holding up of the hands of the bank officials, that the bridging wires will be raised into contacting position with the positive and negative wires.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved alarm signal of the above character, which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be conveniently and easily installed in any bank, commercial house or the like, at a min imum cost.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accon'ipanying drawings, forming a part of this HPtUiliCtttion, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the cage 01' stall of the bank official,

Serial No. 433,673.

ing the improved signalling device connect ed thereto.

Figure 3 is a diagran'nnatic view of the wiring circuit of the improved alarm, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail. vertical section through a portion of the circuit closing device of the improved signal illustrating the means of attaching the false ceiling to the bridging wires when used.

referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A indicates the improved signalling device, and B, the cage or stall of a bank ofiicial with which it is as sociated.

\Vhile the improved signalling device has been shown connected with a cage or stall of a bank official, it is to be understood that the same can be used in other houses, where there is a possibility of robbery or hold-up occurring:

The stall or cage B illustrated in the drawings has been merely shown for the purpose of illustrating the use of the improved invention, and may be of any construction, design or shape, and as shown consists of the front wall 5, provided with the usual window 6, the side walls 7, which may form partitions for other cages, and the rear wall 8. The side walls or partitions 7 may also have windows 9 arranged therein and as in the usual construction, the rear wall 8 is provided with the exit door 10, or this door may be positioned at any other convenient point. As in the usual construction, the walls 6, 7, and 8 terminate short of the ceiling of the bank proper, and these stalls are usually lighted by the indirect lighting system of the bank proper now in vogue.

The improved. alarm device A includes a plurality of spaced wires 15 and a plurality of spaced wires 16. These plurality of wires 15 and it are arranged in alternate relation to one another, and the wires 1,5 are elec trically connected to a cross head wire 17, while the wires 16 are electrically connected toa cross head wire 18. The current for the described device A may be derived from any suitable source of electrical energy, such as a battery Or the like, and as shown a pair of line wires 19 and 20 are extended from the city feed wires (not shown) and the Wires 19 and 20 are connected to a transformer 21 so as to step down the current and render the same suitable for the signalling device, A wire 22 is connected to one terminal of the transformer and to the cross head wire 18, and a wire 23 is connected to the other terminal. The wire 23 is extended to one terminal of the electric signalling device 24, which, as shown, is an electric bell. This wire has interposed therein atest circuit 25, which will be hereinafter more fully The cross head wire 17 is elec trically connected by means of a wire 26 with one terminal of a signal bell .27 and the other terminal of this signal bell 27 is connected by means of a wire 28 with the wire 23. The other terminal of the electric bell 24 is connected by means of a wire 29 with the wire 26. Thus it can be seen that when any of the wires 15 and 16 are bridged, the circuit will be closed through the signalling devices 21 and 27. These signalling devices 24 and 2'7 are located at a point remote from the bank, such as a police station or the like, where help can be conveniently had. In order tosee if the device is in good working condition, the test circuit 25 is provided, and as shown the wire 23 has interposed therein a switch 30. This test circuit 25 includes a pair of wires 31 and 32, which are connected to the wire 23 on opposite sides of the switch 30, and the wires are electrically connected to the terminals of an electric bell or other signalling device 33. The switch includes a lever 34:, and this switch is adapted to be swung either into engagement with a switch point 35 of the switch interposed in the wire 23, or to a switch point 36 electrically connected to the wire 26. It can be seen that when the lever 34 is swung into contact with the point 36, that the current will. flow through the wire 33 from the transformer to the wire 31, the electric bell 33, through the switch lever 34, contact 36, back through the wire 26 through one of the wires 15 and 16, through the wire 22, back through the transformer. When the lever 3 1 is swung into engagement with the point 35, the electric signal 33 and the test circuit is shunted, and the current will flow from the wire 23 to the point to the switch lever 34 on through the wire 23 to the bell 24k and through the wire 28 to the bell 27, through the wire 26 to the wires 15 and then through the wire 16 through the wire 22 back through the transformer 21.

These wires 15 and 16ers adapted tobe located at any convenientdistance apart, and are adapted to be bridged by a plurality of equi-distantly spaced bridging wires 40, which extend at right angles to the wires 15 and 16. The bridging wires are located at a. point below the wires 15 and 16 so that when desired to close the circuit through the signalling device A, it is merely necessary to raise one of the wires 40 into engagement with one of the wires 15 and 16.

\Vhile the wires 15 and 16 and the bridging wires 40 may be connected in place in any suitable manner, to the cage or stall B, as shown, the wires 15 and 16 are extended transversely across the cage and are connected respectively to the front and rear walls 5 and 8 of the cage.

The bridging wires 16 are arranged longitudinally of the cage below the wires 15 and 16, and are secured in any preferred manner to the side or end walls 7 of the cage.

Thus it can be seen that when the hands of the bank oflicial are raised upon an order of a robber, the same will come in contact with the bridge wires 10 and thus raise the same into contact with the wires 15 and 16and close the signal circuit.

If so desired, the bridge wires 40 may have connected thereto a false ceiling 50, which is preferably constructed .from suitable woven fabric, which will permit the free passage of air and light. This false ceiling may be connected to the bridge wires 10 by means of ornamental buttons 51, such as that utilized in upholstering. As shown the inner faces of the buttons 51 carry clips 52,-

which are extended through the fabric or false ceiling 50 and bent around the bridge wires 10. The provision of this false ceiling 50 entirely hides the bridge wires, and the wires 15 and 16 from view, and upon the raising of the hands into engagement with any point of the ceiling 50, the ceiling will cause the bridge wires 40 to move into contact with the wires 15 and 16, thus insuring the closing the circuit through the signal bells 24 and 27.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that an improved alarm signalling I device has been provided, which can be readily operated when a bank is held up by robbers, without causing the attention of the robbers to be called thereto.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention; but, i

I claim: I

1. The combination with a room having a cage therein, of a signalling system including a plurality of spaced positive and negative wires arranged in alternate relation, means for electrically connecting the positive and negative wires to the opposite terminals of a source of electrical energy and a signal incorporated in said means, a .plu rality of spaced bridge wires arranged below the first mentioned wires and adjacent to the upper end of the cage, and a movable false ceiling secured to said bridge Wires.

2. The combination With a room having a cage interposed therein, of an alarm signalling system for the cage including a plurality of alternately arranged positive and negative electric conducting wires, the wires being arranged adjacent to the upper end of the cage, means electrically connecting the positive and negative wires to a source of electrical energy and a signal incorporated in said means, a plurality of cross bridging wires arranged in the cage below and adjacent t0 the electric wires, and a flexible false ceiling formed of Woven material and arranged below the wires to hide the same from view, and buttons arranged to connect the false ceiling With the bridging Wires.

3. In a signalling system, a plurality of spaced alternately arranged positive and negative wires, and a source of electrical. energy, means connecting the opposite terminals of the Source of electrical energy with the positive and negative wires, a signal incorporated in said means, a plurality of resilient spaced bridge wires arranged in spaced relation to the positive and negative wires, a signalling device in the electric connecting means for the positive and negative Wires and the source of electrical energy, and a false ceiling of flexible material connecting the bridging wires together.

HOMER E. VATSON. 

